Combine a swim at Fort Dauphin's most beautiful white-sand beach with a visit to the original 17th-century French colonial fort, then linger over grilled lobster and zebu brochettes at a clifftop seafood table with the Indian Ocean as your backdrop.
What to expect
Your guide walks you through the ruins of Fort Flacourt, built by the French East India Company in 1643 and one of the oldest surviving colonial structures in the Indian Ocean, framing Madagascar's layered history with vivid anecdotes. Minutes away, Libanona's arc of pale sand and warm turquoise water invites a proper swim. The afternoon closes at a cliff-perched seafood spot where the catch of the day — often lobster or reef fish — is grilled over charcoal as the sky turns copper and gold over the bay.
Good to know
Libanona Beach is only 15 minutes' walk or a short tuk-tuk ride from the port — easily self-explored, but immeasurably richer with a guide for the fort. Ideal as a late-morning-into-afternoon programme. Confirm the seafood restaurant is open on your port day when booking the tour. Bring a beach towel, reef-safe sunscreen, and cash in Ariary for market stalls near the fort.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Fort Dauphin — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.